Cook Co. Board Now Has Its Youngest And First Openly Gay Member

CHICAGO (CBS) — Of all the upsets Democrats staged on Election Day, one of the biggest came in Cook County’s northwest suburbs.

Kevin Morrison became the county board’s youngest member and he knocked off the chairman of Illinois’ Republican party to do it.

Voters made the 28-year-old the youngest and first openly gay member of the Cook County Board.

When asked if he age or his sexual orientation was an issue in the race, Morrison answered “I’m incredibly humbled that it wasn’t an issue.”

But by all accounts, President Trump was.

“Finding out that our current commissioner was the guy who gave Illinois’ delegates to Donald Trump at the Republican convention, of course that was upsetting for many voters in the district.” Morrison said.

Republican Tim Schneider is the commissioner Morrison defeated. And he’s the GOP state chairman who has backed Trump since his nomination.

“I just know that people, the Illinois Republican party, is standing by our candidates up and down the ticket. Including Donald Trump.” Schneider said back in 2016.

When asked if that hurt him in this election, Schneider said “just to say you are the party of Trump, that hurt.”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle targeted three GOP commissioners and defeated two of them. That leaves two Republicans on the board. Two out of 17.

“She has complete control. She can do whatever she wants to do,” said Schneider.

In part, said Morrison, because northwest suburban Cook is no longer safe for the GOP.

“It’s been increasingly more diverse. It’s a district Hillary Clinton won by 20 points,” said Morrison.

Morrison added that he was helped by a flood of young voters at the polls and the big overall voter turnout.